Comforting Thoughts About Death That Have Nothing to Do with God

"In this book Greta Christina tackles the subject of death with the insight of a philosopher and the relaxed candor of a friend — that really cool, intelligent friend who understands and cares."
-David Niose, author of Fighting Back the Right: Reclaiming America from the Attack on Reason

Comforting Thoughts About Death That Have Nothing to Do with God by Greta Christina -- available now!

Coming Out Atheist

“"Witty, wise, helpful, and humane, this clear and engaging book is most timely.”
-Phil Zuckerman, Ph.D., author of Faith No More: Why People Reject Religion

Coming Out Atheist: How to Do It, How to Help Each Other, and Why by Greta Christina -- available now in ebook, print, and audiobook!

I Support Atheism Plus!

Atheists plus we care about social justice.
Atheists plus we support women’s rights.
Atheists plus we protest racism.
Atheists plus we fight homophobia and transphobia.
Atheists plus we use critical thinking and skepticism.

EVENTS

Adult Toy Story: Romance vs. Reality in “Air Doll”

A sad, tired man takes the late train home from work. He comes home to his consolation: dinner and conversation and lovemaking with his beautiful girlfriend. Except his girlfriend is a blow-up doll. The conversation is entirely one-sided; when the lovemaking is over, he scrubs out her removable vagina with a hose.

This has clearly been going on for some time. How long, we don’t know. The next morning, though, the doll comes to life. Or comes to something like life.

And her story begins.

There are a lot of ways to look at “Air Doll,” a beautiful, thoughtful, oddly delicate new film from acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-ada (“Still Waiting,” “After Life,” “Nobody Knows”). And the sexual angle isn’t even the most obvious one. There’s quite a bit of sexual content in this film, but — surprisingly for a movie about a blow-up sex doll — it’s not the main focus. The existential questions — what does it mean to be alive? what does it mean to be conscious? how do we distinguish between people and non-people? — leap much more to the foreground.

Comments

If you want a far more ribald take on this idea, the Sexy Losers webcomic (winner of 6 out of 5 toilets on the “list of potentially offensive webcomics” offsensometer) had a thread about the “Dutch Wife Fairy” who brings sex toys to life.

I think your interpretation was a little harsh on Hideo; it seemed to me that he didn’t “replace” the doll because he was tired of her, but because she was hiding in the cupboard under the stairs; he’s overheard complaining about someone disposing of his stuff, although that part is fairly ambiguous.
Also, his entire reaction to her animate status takes place within the five minutes after being suddenly confronted with his doll come alive. I think he was more conflicted than your review suggests; he did ask if she could go back to the way she was before, but he also did go after her when she ran away.
And the doll *does* finally end up taking the erotic initiative, albeit with not-so-good results…